Fluid actuated window operator



Dec. 8, 1942. w DQRRIES 2 ,304,245

FLUID ACTUATED WINDOW OPERATOR Filed Sept. 20; 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l o oInventor L Faber? If Darn/es R. W. DORRIES FLUID ACTUATED WINDOW("/PERATOR Dec. 8, 1942.

Filed Sept. 20, 1940 Z SHeets-Sheet 2 In ventor kaberf Dorr/es Z7 By Aiiorney I Patented Dec. 8, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in windowoperating means for windows of the vertically reciprocating type, suchas provided for automobiles and other motor driven vehicles, and theinvention has for its primary object to provide fluid operated meansadapted to provide the moving force for the window.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a disk-likecylinder having a pair of blades swingably mounted therein and having aworking fit in the cylinder and which are operatively connected to thewindow to provide for the raising and lowering movement thereof duringopposite movement'of the blades and also to subject the blades to fluidmeans for the actuation thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism ofthis character in which either a suction or pressure force may beemployed.

An additional object is to provide novel valve control means for thefeeding of the fluid to opposite sides of the blade to move the same ina manner for raising and lowering the window.

A still further object is to provide an apparatus of this character ofsimple and practical construction, which is eflicient and reliable inperformance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and install inoperative position in the door or window frame of the vehicle and whichis otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same isintended. o

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing hadto the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which Figure l is a sideelevational view of an automobile door having the window mounted in theupper portion thereof and illustrating the invention operativelyconnected thereto.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the fluid cylinderand'illustrating the arms operatively connected thereto.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sideelevational view of the cylinder with thecover plate removed and showing the frame provided for connecting to thewindow.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified frameconstruction for connecting the arms of the blades directly thereto.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the control valve.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view therethrough, and Figure '7 is afragmentary sectional view of the cylinder illustrating one of theadjustable screws to prevent collapsing of the cylinder walls whensubjected to the fluid suction.

Referring now to the drawings in detafl, and with particular referenceto the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive;the numeral 5 designates an automobile door of conventionalconstruction, which includes the window opening 6 at its upper portionand within which the vertically reciprocating window I is mounted.

The usual diagonal frame member 8 is provided for the lower portion ofthe door and extending horizontally between the sides of the door is abar 4, having rounded ends 4' inserted in brackets 3 and secured againstend play by pins 2. A substantially flat circular cylinder 9 having aremovable cover plate I0 is secured-fiatwise to the bar 4.

A pair of hub members II and I2 'are positioned in the cylinder, the hubmember ll being provided with a shaft l3 which is rotatably mounted inthe hollow shaft l4 formed on the hub member I2, the shafts I3 and Itbeing disposed coaxially as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. Thehollow shaft i4 is joumalled in an opening in the rear wall of thecylinder 9 as shown at If: and at the side of the hub member ll oppositefrom the shaft I3 is a short shaft extension l6 which is joumalled in arecess I'I formed on the inner face of the cover plate in.

Blades l8 and I9 are secured at one end to the respective hub sectionsII and I2, the blades, in their present embodiment extending v radiallyfrom the hub sections and are provided at their opposite faces withsheets of packing material 20 adapted to provide an air-tight andliquid-tight working fit with the walls of the cylinder.

The tubular shaft I4 is freely mounted in a slotted opening 2| formed ina frame member 22 which is secured at its upper edge to the-bottom framemember 23 of the window. The frame member 22 is also provided with apair of horizontal slotted openings 24 within which rollers 25 areslidably positioned, the rollers being formed on the outer ends of arms26-26 which are secured at their inner ends to the respective shafts l3and H.

An upper feed pipe 21 has one end communicating with the cylinder 9above the blades l 8 and i9 and a lower feed pipe 28 has one endconnected to the cylinder below the blades. The

other ends of the feed pipes communicate with ports 29 and 30respectively formed in the bottom portion 3| of a slidingvalve structureshown in detail in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings. The bottom 3| of thevalve is also provided with an intermediate port 32 with which a, supplypipe 33 is connected. the supply pipe leading to a suitable source offluid pressure or suction (not shown), as desired.

A slide valve 34 is mounted on the bottom 3| of the valve structure, theslide valve being provided with a recess 35 in its bottom surfaceadapted to provide communication of either the pipes 21 or 28 withthesupply pipe 33 through their respective ports. The slide valve 34 isprovided with an operating rod 36 having a manipulating handle 31projecting through a slotted opening 38 formed in the inner side of thedoor 3.

The upper surface of the slide 34 is provided with a recess 38 withinwhich a ball 48 is adapted to be seated; the ball being yieldably urgedinto position by means of a spring 4| confinedby a bridge piece 42extending transversely across the top of the slide valve 34-. Coilsprings 52 engage each end of the valve 34 to normallyreturn the valveto a central position closing both ports 29 and 30 to maintain thewindow in its adjusted position.

In certain types of door and window construction the frame member 22 maybe dispensed with and the horizontally extending slotted openings 43 maybe formed in the flange portion 44 of the frame member 45 secured to thelower edge of the window 46 as shown in Figure 4 of the draw ings, theslotted openings in this form of the invention being adapted to slidablyreceive the rollers 25 of the arms 26.

In the operation of the device the suction or pressure of air fed to thepipes 21 and 28 will act upon the blades l8 and I9 to swingably actuatethe same whereby to cause a similar movement of the arms 26, thus movingthe roller 25 inwardly or outwardly in the slotted openings 24 and thusraise or lower the window. The pipe 33 may be connected to the intakemanifold of the engine of the vehicle whereby to employ a vacuum for theactuation of the blades. When utilizing such means for the operation ofthe device the cylinder 9 may be provided with a quantity of oil 41above as well as below the blades l8 and I9, whereby to suitablylubricate the walls of the cylinder. In order to prevent entrance of thelubricant into the lower pipe 28 an extension 48 is provided whichextends upwardly into the cylinder and is provided with a downturnedextremity 49.

In order to prevent possible collapsing of the front and rear walls ofthe cylinder an adjustable screw 50 is threaded through the cover platel with its inner end abutting the rear wall.

In order to prevent settling .of the window downwardly after the samehas been raised, the ends of the slotted openings 24 and 43 are providedat their upper edges with upwardly inclined portions to form a seat forthe rollers 25.

It is believed the details of construction, operation and advantages ofthe device will be readily understood from the foregoing without furtherdetailed explanation.

Having described the invention, what I claim 1. A window operatorcomprising a cylinder having co-axial hub members journalled therein,blades secured to the hub members having a working fit with the walls ofthe cylinder, fluid actuating means connected to the cylinder adapted toswingably actuate the blades in opposite directions and means connectingthe hub members with a portion of the window, said blades being adaptedto simultaneously exert a similar force on the window to reciprocablyactuate the same upon movement of the blades in both directions.

2. A. window operator comprising a cylinder having co-axial hub membersjournalled therein, blades secured to the hub members having a workingflt with the walls of the cylinder, said blades extending radially fromthe respective hub members and arranged to provide chambers at oppositesides of the blades, fluid actuating means connected to each chamberadapted to swingably actuate the blades in opposite directions relativeto each other and means connecting the hub members with a portion of thewindow to reciprocably actuate the same upon movement of the blades ineither direction.

3. A window operator comprising a cylinder having co-axial hub membersjournalled therein, blades secured to the hub members having a workingflt with the walls 01' the cylinder, fluid actuating means connected tothe cylinder adapted to swingably actuate the blades in oppositedirections, an arm projecting radially from each hub member outwardly ofthe cylinder and means connecting the outer ends of the arms to aportion of the window, said blades being adapted to simultaneously exerta similar force on the window for reciprocably actuating the same uponmovement of the blades in both directions.

4. A window operator comprising-a cylinder having co-axial hub membersjournalled therein, blades secured to the hub members having a workingfit with the walls of the cylinder, said blades extending radially fromthe'respective hub members and arranged to provide chambers at oppositesides of the blades, fluid actuating means connected to each chamberadapted to swingably actuate the blades in opposite directions relativeto each other, an arm projecting radially from each hub member outwardlyof the cylinder and means connecting the outer ends of the arms to aportion of the window for reciprocably actuating the same upon movementof the blades in either direction.

5. A window operator comprising a casing, a plurality of oppositelymovable abutments in the casing defining expansible chambers therein,fluid means connected to the respective chambers to simultaneouslysubject the abutments to a similar operating influence of the fluid foruniformly moving the abutments in opposite directions, and meansoutwardly of the casing adapted for connecting the abutments to aslidably mounted window for actuation of the window by the abutments.

6. A window operator comprising a cylinder, a plurality of oppositelymovable abutments in the cylinder defining expansible chambers therein,means for mounting the abutments for swinging about the axis of thecylinder, fluid means connected to the respective chambers tosimultaneously subject the abutments to a similar operating influence ofthe fluid for uniformly moving the abutments in opposite directions, andmeans outwardly of the cylinder adapted for connecting the abutments toa slidably mounted window for actuation of the window by the abutments.

ROBERT W. DORRIES.

